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If Theresa May’s maiden speech felt like it might signal the dawn of a new era for Conservative politics, her cabinet certainly indicates that she wants to make a fresh start.

Today the new prime minister finished appointing her team and the end result was almost a wholesale change from that which had served David Cameron during the first year of his second term.

One commenter said it felt more like the appointment of a new government than a cabinet reshuffle, and it certainly seemed that way with changes in more than a dozen portfolios, not to mention newly created roles.

If Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary was the headline on Wednesday night, Jeremy Hunt’s in, out, in as Health Secretary and Andrea Leadsom’s appointment as Environment Secretary were some of today’s top lines.

Predictions that May, who made a pledge for equality in her first speech as prime minister, would appoint a 50:50 male-female cabinet didn’t quite materliase but there were new roles for a number of women (eight out of 22)

Leave campaigners in key positions

Boris Johnson was one of the shock appointments (Picture: Steve Parsons/PA Wire)

It was expected that May may appoint lead Leave campaigners in key positions in her government, and while Andrea Leadsom was named environment secretary the big shock was Boris Johnson.

European figures stated their shock at the appointment but Johnson said today he had already received a letter off the French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault offering his congratulations.

Mr Ayrault had previously called Johnson a ‘liar’ with his ‘back against the wall’ in a radio interview.

Other key appointments included Liam Fox and David Davis as new Brexit Secretary. Davis has hinted that he would favour a swift exit from Europe, previously hinting at December 2018 as a potential date.

Liz Truss became the first Lord Chancellor in the thousand-year history of the role when she replaced Michael Gove as Justice Secretary.

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Others to be appointed to prominent positions were Amber Rudd, Justine Greening, Karen Bradley, Priti Patel and Andrea Leadsom.

Women in cabinet

Andrea Leadsom

Karen Bradley

Priti Patel

Justine Greening

Liz Truss

Theresa May

Amber Rudd

Baroness Evans

High profile departures include Gove and Nicky Morgan, who were sacked, and Stephen Crabb and Theresa Villiers who resigned.

The suggestion that May would give roles to people she trusted rang true in a number of cases, including with Bradley who worked under her as Home Secretary.

But there were also prominent roles given to chief Leave campaigners, most importantly Boris Johnson, David Davis and Liam Fox who were all given positions with a foreign outlook.

To some dismay with green campaigners, the Department for Energy and Climate Change was scrapped altogether with responsibilities swept up by other departments.

Two new positions were also created Secretary of State for Brexit and Secretary of State for International Trade.

Mrs May's First Appointments

Amber Rudd was named as Home Secretary (Picture: EPA)

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond (previously George Osborne)

Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal Baroness Evans

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson (previously Philip Hammond)

Home Secretary Amber Rudd

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Liz Truss(previously Michael Gove)

Secretary of State for Defence Michael Fallon (reappointed)

Secretary of State for Brexit David Davis

Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Greg Clark

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Damian Green (previously Stephen Crabb)

Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid (previously Greg Clark)

Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities Justine Greening(previously Nicky Morgan)

Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel(previously Justine Greening)

Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling (previously Patrick McLoughlin)

Secretary of State for Scotland: David Mundell

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire(previously Theresa Villiers)

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Karen Bradley(previously John Whittingdale)